Rich Central Football Learns Tough Lesson in Dramatic Loss

Clinging to a two-point lead with 30 seconds left in Saturday’s game, appeared to be on its way to an upset victory over host Rich East. Eighty yards from the end zone with less than 90 seconds remaining seemed too far a distance for a Rich East team struggling with its passing offense. 

A few running plays brought the Rockets and quarterback Malcom Miller to their own 43. The problem was that the clock running against them.  

With 30 seconds to play, Miller dropped back to pass but was forced left by the Olympian pass rush. Rockets running back Rondell Willingham found himself wide open as he raced from the line of scrimmage, and Miller hit him on a 20-yard toss. The senior running back raced the rest of the way for the game-winning touchdown. 

“I should have backed my corners and safeties up out of the atmosphere,” Rich Central head coach Terrell Alexander said of the play after . “East hadn’t completed a ball over the top the entire game.”  

Rich Central failed to capitalize on stellar play from quarterback Devonte Black and wideout Shawn Mitchell Jr.  The pair connected seven times for 167 yards and two touchdowns. But the Olympians couldn’t overcome two fumbles deep in Rich East territory.

“Mitchell and Black played well for us today, and they are great kids,” Alexander said. “I commend those guys for their effort. I just want the team to understand that we’re not out of (the playoff hunt) and to keep playing hard.”

Still, it was a devastating defeat for the Olympians, and an equally joyous one for the Rockets. 

“We caught them in the right spot at the right time, and it was a great victory for our guys,” Rich East coach Barry Reade said. “It’s a 48-minute game, and we tell our guys to never give up.”

Alexander applauded the Rich Central players as they huddled before getting on the bus.

“Heads up,” he shouted to his team. “We come together, we leave together.”

Download the movie